Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake

9-inch round red velvet cheesecake with Oreo crust and topped with chocolate ganache, whipped cream and crushed Oreos

Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake

This decadent Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake has a perfectly creamy red velvet flavor with a silky smooth texture and beautiful red color. It has a thick Oreo crust with even more Oreos on top for the ultimate flavor combo!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 1

Cooling and Chilling 7

Servings slices

Calories 624kcal

Author Fiona Dowling

Equipment

9-inch springform pan
large roasting pan (big enough for the springform pan to fit inside)

Ingredients

Oreo Crust

26 Oreo cookies wafers and filling
⅓ cup unsalted butter (75 grams) melted

Red Velvet Cheesecake Filling

24 ounces full-fat cream cheese (680 grams) brick-style, at room temperature
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar (250 grams)
3 tablespoons cocoa powder I prefer natural over Dutch-process
¾ cup sour cream (180 ml) room temperature
¼ cup buttermilk (60 ml) room temperature
2 teaspoons distilled vinegar white vinegar is fine
1 - 1 ½ tablespoons red food coloring (15 - 22.5 ml) gel or liquid
4 large eggs whisked
boiling water for the water bath

Chocolate Ganache

4 ounces dark chocolate (56 grams) I used 50%, semi-sweet works too
½ cup whipping cream (120 ml) or heavy cream, around 35% MF

Topping

½ cup whipping cream (120 ml) optional
3-4 Oreos crushed or chopped, for decorating

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C or 160C on a fan-forced oven).
Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with heavy duty aluminum foil. Wrap it at least 3 times so that the bottom and sides are covered and all the seems are covered.

Oreo Crust

Crush the cookies (wafers and filling) in a food processor or blender until they're fine crumbs. Optionally, place the cookies in a freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin.
Mix the crushed cookies with the melted butter.
Press into the bottom and just slightly up the sides of the springform pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven. Keep the oven turned on.

Cheesecake Filling

As the crust is baking, make the filling.
In a very large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Then beat in the cocoa powder. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
With the mixer on a low speed, beat in the sour cream. Then mix in the buttermilk, vinegar and food coloring.
Whisk the eggs together. Then carefully beat the eggs into the batter a little at a time - I did 3 additions.

Baking and Cooling

Place the springform pan (still wrapped in foil) in the middle of the large roasting pan.
Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust and smooth the top.
Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan so that there's about ½ - 1 inch (about 1.5 - 2.5 cm) or water in the roasting pan surrounding the springform pan.
Place the roasting pan (with the cheesecake inside) in the oven (it should still be at 350F from before). Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until the top looks just set and if you give the pan a gentle nudge the cheesecake still has a wobble like jello or pudding, but doesn't wobble like a liquid.
Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Cool the cheesecake inside the roasting pan. When the water is room temperature, remove the cheesecake and place on a cooling rack to continue cooling.
Once the pan feels room temperature, cover the top and place in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours or overnight. This is necessary for the cheesecake to properly set.

Topping and Serving

For the ganache, chop the chocolate into very fine pieces and place in a heatproof bowl.
Heat ½ cup cream until almost boiling.
Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 2-4 minutes, then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate hasn't quite melted, heat in the microwave on medium power for 30 seconds, then whisk.
Remove the cheesecake from the fridge. Trace around the outside with a thin, sharp knife. Then unclamp the outer ring of the springform pan.
If there's condensation on top of the cheesecake, blot with a paper towel to remove.
Pour the ganache over the cheesecake, allowing it to drip over the edge. Place back in the fridge until ready to serve.
Beat the remaining ½ cup cream until peaks form.
Transfer the cream to a piping bag (I used a 1M tip). Pipe rosettes around the edges of the cheesecake.
Crush or chop the Oreos, then sprinkle on top of the cheesecake.
Slice with a thin, sharp knife. Be sure to slice through the crust.

Notes

Room Temperature Ingredients: It's imperative that the cream cheese, sour cream, buttermilk and eggs should be room temperature before getting started.
Cream Cheese: Make sure to use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. Do not use anything labeled light, spreadable or whipped.
Make Ahead Tips: I always make the cheesecake the day before I plan to serve. Let it cool, then cover and chill in the fridge overnight. The next day I'll make the ganache and place the cheesecake back in the fridge. Then I'll add the whipped cream and crushed Oreos right before serving.
Nutrition: Nutrition details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 slice with ganache, crushed Oreos and whipped cream on top - assuming that the recipe is sliced into 12 equal pieces. You can likely get up to 14 pieces with this recipe.
Storage: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition